Orthoses have been used for some time as an auxiliary medical means for functionally stabilizing, relieving, guiding and/or correcting joints. For instance, knee orthoses are used, for example, after treating ruptures of the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament, after collateral ligament lesions and in the case of meniscus and cartilage damage.
The orthoses generally have a pair of joint rails each having a first and a second rail portion which are connected to each other in an articulated manner via an orthosis joint at the ends thereof facing each other. The two rail portions can be pivoted relative to each other about a joint axle and can be fixed via fixing means, for example, belts or hook and loop bands, to a respective limb portion, for instance, the upper leg and lower leg.
Although the orthoses are either available in different sizes or are also individually adapted, the joint to be treated with the orthosis often cannot be stabilized or relieved or actively corrected to the desired extent. This may be the case in particular with post-operative or post-traumatic swellings in the joint region and in the event of valgus or varus malalignments of the joint to be treated. In the case of valgus malalignment, the distal limb portion, that is to say, for example, the lower leg, becomes displaced outwards away from the center axis of the limb beyond the normal dimension, whereas the term varus malalignment is intended to be understood to be a displacement inwards. The inadequate stabilization, guiding, relieving or active correction of the joint to be treated or the ligamentous apparatus near the joint can result in a protracted recovery period and where applicable a permanent joint instability.
On the basis of the above-mentioned prior art, an object of the invention is to provide an orthosis and a correction joint for an orthosis which allows improved lateral joint stabilization, guiding, relieving and/or active correction.
The object relating to the orthosis is achieved by an orthosis having the features set out in the first independent patent claim. The correction joint according to the invention for the orthosis has the features set out in a dependent patent claim. The dependent claims relate to advantageous developments of the invention.